1/4” TRS to RCA cabling issue...

[tonepot]

Hi all! I apologize because this will be lengthy. I am a music producer and just purchased an NOS McONE monitor controller. It has only the features I need and it looks fantastic; however, I'm having a weird issue with it that I'm hoping somebody can help me with.

I have 3 sets of studio monitors. My mains are connected with 1/4" TRS cables no problem, works perfectly. My other 2 sets of monitors, one set of which is my precious IK Multimedia iLouds, both have RCA inputs which I've recently learned are unbalanced.

Previously, with my old monitor controller, I simply had these monitors connected with dual 1/4" TS to RCA cables; however, when connected like this to my new McONE monitor controller, which is advertised as having balanced outputs, the volume control is completely reversed! Up is down and down is up.

I systematically tried my main monitors (which are connected with TRS cables) in each of the 3 outputs on the McONE and they work perfectly. Which leads me to believe this is some kind of balanced/unbalanced cable issue? Could the monitor controller be flawed? My previous Mackie controller had none of these issues.

Could it be because RCA is unbalanced and the new monitor controller is balanced? I have no idea at this point. If this is case, how do I go from the 1/4" balanced outs on the monitor controller to the RCA jacks on my speakers?

This could be a reason for retuning the unit as my iLoud speakers are what I use for mixing and I won't part with them under any circumstance.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks for reading this novelette.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

There’s no way that mixing balanced and unbalanced connections could cause that problem.

The 1/4" TS to RCA cables you used previously is the only way to go from 1/4" balanced to RCA unbalanced.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[tonepot]

There’s no way that mixing balanced and unbalanced connections could cause that problem.

The 1/4" TS to RCA cables you used previously is the only way to go from 1/4" balanced to RCA unbalanced.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Thank you. That is exactly what I was thinking, although I’m no expert. This is my 4th monitor controller (I’ve had 2 Mackies and a Behringer) and none of them behaved like this. I know it sounds crazy but what I’ve described is exactly what its doing. Somehow the volume control circuitry is completely reversed. I’m thinking it’s probably time to send it back.

 

[TLS Guy]

I think you problem is that the outputs of that unit are not buffered. If that is the case then once you use TRS to RCA all outputs are unbalanced. That I think is the root case of the problem.

So if you like the unit, then you need to buffer the outputs you are going to unbalance. The other alternative is to use a transformer between the the controller and the unbalanced inputs.

I bet there is only one output amp on that unit and the outputs are in parallel. For the price of the unit that has to be the case. So all outputs must be connected to all balanced inputs or all unbalanced inputs. You can not mix it up. They must all be the same. So your best solution is to get a two channel buffer amp for your unbalanced inputs. ATI make a good unit.

 

[tonepot]

I think you problem is that the outputs of that unit are not buffered. If that is the case then once you use TRS to RCA all outputs are unbalanced. That I think is the root case of the problem.

So if you like the unit, then you need to buffer the outputs you are going to unbalance. The other alternative is to use a transformer between the the controller and the unbalanced inputs.

I bet there is only one output amp on that unit and the outputs are in parallel. For the price of the unit that has to be the case. So all outputs must be connected to all balanced inputs or all unbalanced inputs. You can not mix it up. They must all be the same. So your best solution is to get a two channel buffer amp for your unbalanced inputs. ATI make a good unit.

Thank you for the great information, but I’m probably just going to return the unit. I’m not up to dealing with these cabling technicalities. All I had to do with my previous 3 controllers was hook them up and plug the speakers in. Simple as that. That’s what I expect out of a monitor controller. I didn’t expect to be faced with these types of complications from a simple piece of gear like this. Yeah, I think I’m sending it back. Thanks again.

 

[TLS Guy]

Thank you for the great information, but I’m probably just going to return the unit. I’m not up to dealing with these cabling technicalities. All I had to do with my previous 3 controllers was hook them up and plug the speakers in. Simple as that. That’s what I expect out of a monitor controller. I didn’t expect to be faced with these types of complications from a simple piece of gear like this. Yeah, I think I’m sending it back. Thanks again.

If you are going to be in the studio business, then you get these issues all the time and have to learn to deal with them.

 

[tonepot]

If you are going to be in the studio business, then you get these issues all the time and have to learn to deal with them.

Yeah great, and thanks for the unsolicited advice.